Lifting apparatus.



Patented Nov. 2,1909

2 SHEETS *SHEET 1.

J. H GILMAN.

LIFTING APPARATUS..

A APPLIOATION IILED SEPT.6.1904. 938,755 Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MIII ll\\\\\\\\\\\ tum- ANDREW. B. GRANAM cu. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER5wlsumcmu c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GILMAN, OF OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KING & HAMILTONCOMPANY, OF OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LIFIING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

Application filed September 6, 1904. Serial No. 223,489.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GILMAN. av citizen of the United States,residing at Ottawa, Lasalle county, Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Lifting Apparatus, of which the following isa specification.

My invention is concerned with a novel mechanism for lifting objects,and is de signed especially for lifting the front wheels of a wagon, sothat its contents may be dumped out of its rear end by the action ofgravity, but it will be apparent that it might be used in other similarlifting mechanisms.

In the following specification, I will describe in detail a preferredform in which my invention is embodied, and I will, in the claims,specifically point out the combination of elements considered by me asnovel.

To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto two sheets of drawings inwhich the same reference characters are used to designate identicalparts in the figures, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of theapparatus; Fig. 2 is a View of the gearing from the inside of theapparatus, with the framework omitted or broken out, and with thegearing set as it is when the platform is being lowered. Fig. 3 is asimilar View, but with the shifting gear wheel omitted, and with thegearing automatically shifted to the position in which it appears justafter the downward movement is completed; and Fig. 4; is a view of theother side of the shifting gear wheel.

In carrying out my invention for wagonlifts, I provide a base 10, whichis substantially constructed of wood, and upon which the front wheels ofa loaded wagon are adapted to be driven in the customary manner. At theends of the base are the supports 11, extending vertically upward, whichmay, however, be slightly inclined or curved, and of any desiredconstruction. At their tops are supported the sheaves 12 over which passthe chains 13, the inner ends of the chains being secured to bails 14,which in turn are secured to the cross-pieces 15 of the rectangularplatform 16, the center of which is open, so that when the wagon wheelsare driven upon the base and platform, and the platform is raised, thewheels fitting into the open center of the platform will be held fromany possible rolling movement.

Extending transversely of the base, and

preferably in the channel 17, so as to be i V protected from the wagonwheels, is the shaft 18, which is journaled in suitable bearings in theends of the base. Just outside the cross-pieces 15 of the platform 16are the small drum sleeves or cylinders 19 rigidly secured on the shaft,and to which the other ends of the chains 13 are secured, so that as theshaft 18 is rotated in one direction the chains will be wound thereonand the platform 16 raised, while when it is rotated in the otherdirection the chains will be unwound therefrom and the platform lowered.

To rotate the shaft 18 in either direction, I employ the novelmechanical movement which I will now describe: At one end of the base isthe yoke-shaped casting 20, which is suitably secured at its lower endto the base and at its upper end to the adjacent support 11, as by meansof the bracket 21. This casing 20 has formed thereon the bear ings 22and 23 for the shaft 24:, one end of which is secured by the universaljoint connection 25 with the tumbling rod 26 which extends to the power,and by which the mechanism is driven. Splined or otherwise secured onthe shaft 2% so as to rotate therewith but so as to be free toreciprocate thereon, are the beveled wheels 25 and 26, which arepreferably connected by being secured to a common sleeve which canreciprocate back and forth on the shaft 24:, but which must rotatetherewith. If the platform is to be moved at the same speed in bothdirections, then.

the wheels 25 and 26 are of the same size. But I preferably make them ofdifferent diameters, the wheel 26 being twice the diameter of the wheel25, so that the platform will be lowered twice as rapidly as it israised. As a wagon-lift is ordinarily used, the front end of the wagonis raised slowly, with the rear end opened so that its contents willslide slowly out of the back end of the wagon, and into a conveyer whichcarries its contents to any desired point. While it is necessary toelevate the front end slowly, it will be apparent that by lowering itrapidly a saving of time is effected in the use of the apparatus.

Journaled in suitable vertical bearings 27 and 28 in the casting 20 isthe shaft 29, which has secured rigidly upon its upper end the pair ofbevel gears 30 and 31 which are suitably located and shaped so as tothat but one of the gears 30 and 31 will be necessary. On the centralportion of the shaft 29 is secured the worm 32, which, ro-

tating therewith and meshing with the worm gear 33, rigidly secured onthe end of the shaft 18, serves to rotate the shaft slowly, and thusapply the necessary power to lift the platform 16 and the end of thewagon resting thereon by the rotation of the tumbling rod 26*.

-As a, means of manually controlling the engagement or disengagement ofthe gears, so that the apparatus may be raised, lowered, or held atrest, as desired, I provide a lever 34, which is pivoted to theyoke-shaped casting 20 at 35, and has its lower end resting in a recess36 having square edges and formed in a sleeve 37 concentrically mountedbetween the wheels 25 and 26, and preferably held from rotation withsaidwheels. A horizontal bar at 38 is preferably connected to the upperend of the lever 34 and extended out so as to be adjacent the rear ofthe wagon being lifted, so that the driver in the wagon can control themovement thereof.

While the apparatus thus far illustrated is entirely under the controlof the operator, I preferably provide mechanism for automaticallystopping the movement of the apparatus at either or both extremepositions, so that the operator need not give it his careful attentionto prevent the possibility of any breakage when the extreme limit ofmovement is reached. For this purpose, I journal upon a suitable bearingstud 39 projecting inward from the frame 20, a gear shifting wheel 40,which is driven from the shaft 18 through the gear pinion 41 on saidshaft, and an idle pinion 42 meshing with its toothed periphery. Thiswheel is preferably made of such size that substantially a completerevolution is required to raise the customary wagon-bed high enough todischarge its contents, while the rotation in the other direction servesto lower it back to its normal position. Pivoted on the sleeve 37adjacent the recess 36 is the end of the automatic shifting bar 43, theother end of which is preferably connected to the bar 38 by the link 44,so that a sort of parallel motion is produced. This shifting bar 43extends through a vertical recess 45 in a standard 46 projecting upwardfrom the base 10. This recess 45 is slightly longer than the width ofthe bar 43, so that the same is free to reshown in the difi'erent views,it will be ap-' parent that if the notch 47 be in engagement with thestandard 46, the large wheel 26 will drive the shaft 29, and theplatform will be lowered. If the notch 48, however, be in engagementwith the standard 46, the small wheel 25 will drive the shaft 29 at alower rate of speed and raise the platform. If the bar 43 is in theintermediate position shown in Fig. 1, neither of the wheels 25 and 26will be in engagement, and the platform willbe at rest. Secured upon thebar43 adjacent thegear shifting wheel 40, is the bracket 49 which has onits inner face the T-shaped flange 50 which extends into the plane ofthe flange 51 formed on the outer edge of the lug 52 which is adjustablysecured on the inner face of the gear shifting wheel 40 by means of thebolt passing through the slot 54 formed in said wheel. lVhen theplatform is being raised, the gear wheel 40, rotating in one directionat the limit of its upward movement, brings the flange 51 intoengagement with the under surface of the adjacent horizontal portion ofthe flange 50, and first lifts that flange so as to raise the bar 43 anddisengage the notch paratus is automatically stopped. When it is startedagain by manually shifting the bar 43 on to engage the other notch withthe standard 46, the shifting gear wheel 40 is then rotated in theopposite direction until its flange 51 comes around and engages theother side of the horizontal portion of the flange 50 to disengage thebar 43 from the standard, and thereafter shift it back to the centralposition. It will be perceived that by this simple mechanism Iautomatically control the operation of the apparatus to throw it out ofengagement at the end of its movement in either or both directions.

lVhile I have shown my invention as embodied 1n the form which I atpresent con-Q sider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will beunderstood that it is capable of modifications, and that I do not desireto be limited in the interpretation of the following claims, except asmay be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a wagon dump, the combination with a frame, of a supportvertically movable therein to raise the front end of a wagon boX, adriving shaft, lifting means for the support, gearing between said shaftand lifting means, said gearing comprising a sleeve splined on saidshaft and having two opposed bevel gear wheels of different sizessecured thereon, a second shaft provided with two bevel gears adapted tocooperate alternately with the opposed gears, and means for engaging oneor the other of said bevel gears on the driving shaft with thecooperating bevel gear on said second shaft.

2. In a wagon dump, the combination with a frame, of a supportvertically movable therein to raise the front end of a wagon box, adriving shaft, lifting means for the support, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the support in either direction or holdingit from movement, and locking mechanism for holding the gearingpositively in engagement until the limit of movement in one direction isreached, and then unlocking the gears and disengaging them to stop themovement.

In a device of the class described, the combination with the supports,of a platform vertically movable between said supports, a driving shaft,lifting means for the platform, gearing between said shaft and liftingmeans, said gearing including a sleeve splined on said shaft and havingopposed bevel gears thereon, a second shaft provided with gearing tocooperate with the opposed gears, and means for engaging one or theother of said bevel gears with the gearing on said second shaft.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between saidshaft and lifting means, said gearing including a sleeve splined on saidshaft and having opposed bevel gears thereon, a second shaftprovidedwith gearing to cooperate with the opposed gears, and means for shiftingsaid sleeve to engage one or the other of said bevel gears with thegearing on said second shaft. i

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between saidshaft and lifting means, said gearing including a sleeve splined on saidshaft and having opposed bevel gears thereon, a second shaft providedwith gearing to cooperate with the opposed gears, andmeans forautomatically shifting said sleeve at the end of the movement of theplatform in one direction to automatically disengage the bevel gearwheels from the gearing on said second shaft.

(3. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said sup ports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between saidshaft and lifting means, said gearing including a sleeve splined on saidshaft and having opposed bevel gears thereon, a second shaft providedwith gearing to cooperate with the opposed gears, and means forautomatically shifting said sleeve at the end of the movement of theplatform in either direction to automatically disengage the bevel gearwheels from the gearing on said second shaft.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between saidshaft and lifting means, said gearing comprising a sleeve splined onsaid shaft and having two opposed bevel gear wheels of difierent sizessecured thereon, a second shaft provided with two bevel gears adapted tocooperate alternately with the opposed gears, and means for engaging oneor the other of said bevel gears on the driving shaft with thecooperating bevel gear on said second shaft.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the platform in either direction or holdingit from movement, and. locking mechanism for holding the gearingpositively in engagement until the limit of movement in one direction isreached, and

then unlocking the gears and disengaging them to stop the movement.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adrivin shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the platform in either direction or holdingit from movement, and locking mechanism for holding the gearingpositively in engagement until the limit of movement in either directionreached, and then unlocking the gears and disengaging them to stop themechanism.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the platform in either direction or holdingit from movement, and locking mechanism for holding the gearing inengagement until the limit of movement in one direction is reached, saidlocking mechanism comprising a shifting bar having a shouldered notchtherein, a stationary support with which said notch is adapted to engageto lock the bar from movement, and means to automatically raise the barto unlock it, and then to move it to shift the gearing.

11. In a device of the class-described, the combination with thesupports of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the platform in either direction or holdingit from movement, gear shifting mechanism for controlling the directionof movement, a shifting bar connected to the gear shifting mechanism andhaving two shouldered notches therein, a stationary support adapted toengage either of said notches to lock the bar from movement, and meansto automatically raise the bar to unlock it at the end of the movementin either direction, and to then move it to a position between thenotches to shift and disengage the gearing.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the platform in either direction or holdingit from movement, gear shifting mechanism included therein, a shiftingbar attached to said shifting mechanism and having a shouldered notchtherein, a stationary support adapted to engage the notch and lock thebar from movement, a gear shifting wheel rotated by the gearing andcarrying a lug, and a horizontal and vertical flange on said shiftingbar, the lug on the gear shifting wheel being adapted to first engagethe horizontal flange at the limit of movement to lift the bar fromengagement with the support, and then to engage the vertical flange tomove the bar horizontally to disengage the gearing and stop themovement.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the plat-form in either direction orholding from movement, gear-shifting mechanism to control the di rectionof movement of the platform, a shifting bar attached to said gearshifting mechanism and having two shouldered notches therein, astationary support adapted to engage with one or the other of saidnotches to lock the bar from movement, a T-shaped flange on said bar, agear shifting wheel rotated by the gearing, and a lug on said gearshifting wheel adapted to engage the T- shaped flange to lift the barand then shift it horizontally, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the platform, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the platform in either direction or holdingit from movement, gear-shifting mechanism to control the direction ofmovement of the platform, a shifting bar attached to said gear shiftingmechanism and having two shouldered notches therein, a stationarysupport adapted to engage with one or the other of said notches to lockthe bar from movement, a T-shaped flange on said bar, a gear shiftingwheel rotated by the gearing, and an adjustable lug on said gearshifting wheel adapted to engage the T-shaped flange to lift the bar andthen shift it horizontally, substan tially as and for the purposedescribed.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesupports, of a platform vertically movable between said supports, adriving shaft, lifting means for the latform, gearing between the shaftand li ting means for moving the platform in either direction andholding it from movement, a gear shifting sleeve, a lever engaging thesleeve, the shifting bar, the horizontal bar 38, and the connecting link14;, substantially as and for the purpose described.

16. In a hoisting device, the combination with the supports, of theplatform vertically movable bet-ween said supports, a driving shaft, andconnections between said shaft and platform for positively raising andlowering thelatter, said connections including two beveled gears mountedon said shaft to rotate therewith and capable of being shiftedlongitudinally thereof simultaneously, a vertical shaft having beveledgearing adapted to be alternately engagedby the gears on the drivingshaft, and means for automatically shifting the beveled gears. 17. In ahoisting device, the combination with the supports, of the platformvertically movable between said supports, a drivin shaft, andconnections between said shat and platform for positively raising andlowering the latter, said connections including two beveled gearsmounted on said driving shaft to rotate therewith and capable of beingshifted longitudinally thereof simultaneously, a vertical shaft havingbeveled gearv ing adapted to be alternately engaged by the gears on thedriving shaft, a worm on.

said vertical shaft, a worm gear engaged thereby, and a winding shaft onwhich the worm gear is secured.

18. In a hoisting device, the combination with the supports, of theplatform vertically movable between said supports, a driving shaft, andconnections between said shaft and platform for positively raising andlowering the latter, said connections including two beveled gearsmounted on the driving shaft to rotate therewith and to be shiftedlongitudinally thereof simultaneously, a vertical shaft having beveledgearing adapted to be alternately engaged by the gears on the drivingshaft, a shifting member to move the beveled gears on the driving shafthaving a flange thereon, a gear-shifting wheel geared to the verticalshaft, and a lug on the gear-shifting wheel to engage the flange on theshifting member and shift the same to automatically disengage thegearing.

19. In a hoisting device, the combination with the supports, of theplatform vertically movable between said supports, a driving shaft, andconnections between said shaft and platform for positively raising andlow ering the latter, said connections including two beveled gearsmounted on the driving shaft to rotate therewith and to be shiftedlongitudinally thereof simultaneously, a vertical shaft having beveledgearing adapted to be alternately engaged by the beveled gears on thedriving shaft, a shifting bar to move the gears on the driving shaft, aflange on the shifting bar, a gear-shifting wheel geared to the verticalshaft, and a lug on the gear-shifting wheel adapted to engage the flangeon the bar on either side to disengage the gears at the limit of theirmovement in either direction.

20. In a hoisting device, the combination with the supports, of theplatform vertically movable between said supports, a driving shaft, andconnections between said shaft and platform for positively raising andlowering the latter, said connections including two beveled gearsmounted on the driving shaft to rotate therewith and to be shiftedlongitudinally thereof simultaneously, the vertical shaft having beveledgearing adapted to be alternately engaged by the gears on the drivingshaft, a shifting bar to move the gears on the driving shaft, a notch insaid bar, a stationary support adapted to engage the notch and lock thebar from movement, a flange on said bar having a horizontal and avertical surface, a gear-shifting wheel geared to the vertical shaft,and a lug on the gear-shifting wheel adapted to first engage thehorizontal portion of the flange to lift and unlock the bar, and then toengage the vertical portion and shift it to uncouple the gearing.

21. In a hoisting device, the combination with the supports, of theplatform vertically movable between said supports, a driving shaft, andconnections between said shaft and platform for positively raising andlowering the latter, said connections including two beveled gearsmounted on the driving shaft to rotate therewith and to be shiftedlongitudinally thereof simultaneously, the vertical shaft having beveledgearing adapted to be alternately engaged by the gears on the drivingshaft, a shifting bar to move the gears on the driving shaft, a pair ofshouldered notches on said bar, a stationary support with which eitherof said notches is adapted to engage to lock the bar from movement, aT-shaped flange on said bar, a gear-shifting wheel geared to thevertical shaft, and a lug on the gear-shifting wheel adapted to engagethe horizontal portion of the T-shaped flange toward the limit of themovement of the apparatus in either direction to lift the bar to unlockit, and then to engage the vertical portion of the flange to shift thebar to uncouple the gearing.

22. In a hoisting device, the combination with the supports, of theplatform vertically movable between said supports, a driving shaft, andconnections between said shaft and platform for positively raising andlowering the latter, said connections including two different sizedbeveled gears mounted on said driving shaft to rotate therewith and tobe shifted longitudinally thereof simultaneously, the vertical shafthaving two beveled gears thereon adapted to be alternately engaged bythe beveled gears on the driving shaft, and means for moving the beveledgears on the driving shaft longitudinally thereof, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

23. In a wagon. dump, the combination with a frame, of a supportvertically mov-' able therein to raise the front end of a wagon box, adriving shaft, lifting means for the support, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the support in either direction or holdingit from movement, and locking mechanism for holding the gearingpositively in engagement until the limit of movement in either directionis reached, and then unlocking the gears and disengaging them to stopthe movement.

24. In a wagon dump, the combination with a frame, of a supportvertically movable therein to raise the front end of a wagon boX, adriving shaft, lifting means for the support, gearing between the shaftand lifting means for moving the support in either direction and holdingit from movement, a gear-shifting sleeve, a lever engaging the sleeve, ashifting bar, the horizontal bar 38, and the connecting link 4%,substantially as and for the purpose described.

25. In a wagon dump, the combination with a frame, of a supportvertically movable therein to raise the front end of a wagon box, adriving shaft, and connections between said shaft and support forpositively raising and lowering the latter, said connect-ions includingtwo bevel gears mounted on the driving shaft to rotate therewith and tobe shifted longitudinally thereof simultaneously, a vertical shafthaving bevel gearing adapted to be alternately engaged by the gears onthe driving shaft, a shifting member to move the bevel gears on thedriving shaft having a flange thereon, a gear-shifting wheel geared tothe vertical shaft, and a lug on the gear-sl1ifting wheel to engage theflange on the shifting member and shift the same to automaticallydisengage the gearing.

26. In a wagon dump, the combination with a frame, of a supportvertically movable therein to raise the front end of a Wagon box, adriving shaft, and connections between said shaft and support forpositively raising and lowering the latter, said connections includingtwo different sized bevel gears mounted on said driving shaft to 20rotate therewith and to be shifted longitudlnally thereofsimultaneously, the vertical shaft having two bevel gears thereonadapted to be alternately engaged by the bevel gears on the drivingshaft, and means 25 JOHN H. GILMAN.

lVitnesses ILL A. HENDERS, GEO. P. HILLS.

